Cleaning slip strop ?

[wizzla111]

Hello,
my question is about the Flexcut slip strop (the flat strop for the knife),it says in the instructions, once the yellow compound becomes black add more yellow compound , so there is now what seems like a fairly thick layer made up of the layers of used compound, should this be cleaned off and if so how is it cleaned off please ?
Thank You
Kevin

[Eddy-Smiles]

Kevin...

If the strop gets to the point where it feels like the blade is just slipping across and your not getting any friction then it might be time to remove the excess. This can easily be done by taking either an old knife or any metal edge and carefully scratching off the excess compound. Be careful not to dig up the leather. I say old knife because by the time you're done that knife will be as blunt as can be!

As a point of interest I've replaced the leather on my slip strop twice. I just didn't like the size of it to begin with so I removed it and put on a larger piece. However, that piece was too smooth for my liking so I removed that piece and attached a rougher piece which seems to be working just fine!

[Paul_Guraedy]

I have had my strops for a whole bunch of years. Use them regularly as I strop often and I have never replaced the compound. Let's see, there's white, pink and not even sure what I used before these two. Now and then chunks flake off; but, I just add a bit more and keep on stropping. I have not experienced the slick feeling but would just add more compound if this happened.

[Dicky]

I heartily agree with Paul. I have had my strops look shiny and slick but they never failed to do the job for me. I occasionally add a drop or two of neetsfoot oil to soften the hardened compound.

[wizzla111]

Hello Eddy and Paul,
Thank you very much for your replies and help it is much appreciated.
Eddy - yes it has become quite shiny, I have a blunt knife I can use to scrape it, the slip strop I have is a square and the leather fills all of it , so I couldn't put a bigger piece on , but I have cut 2 pieces of leather 8 inches long to make a strop, just choosing the glue now then I'll make them, but the square one will be okay until then.
Paul - I was using the strop and the yellow compound made by flexcut (it came with the slip strop) , the back of the slip strop has the flat strop for the knife it is a little square one, the top side has the detail edges for the gouges and v tool stropping.
My knife has dents along the blade edge again so I need to redo it and it is why I thought it would be best to ask about the strop :-)

Kevin

[wizzla111]

Hello Dicky ,
Thank You for your reply, it is much appreciated.
Also for the information and tip and the neatsfoot oil.

Kevin

[BRIAN D]

Kevin, if you have nicks on your knife blade or tools? First, use a stone same number of times on both sides for knife & remove the nicks, then strop. Hope it helps.
p.s. use contact cement when making strops, glue both back of leather then surface of stick, let pretty well dry, then merry together. Won't come apart.

[Gulf Coast Handyman]

Kevin, when I used the Flexcut strop and compound, I found that when I rubbed on more compound it would knock off any old loose build up.

Dave

[Claude]

I agree with Brian - put some contact cement on the back of the leather and more on a piece of board - let dry and carefully press together. Once you press it together, the leather will pull apart or pieces pull out of the wood before the contact cement will fail.

Here's a photo of my strop - it's an old piece of suede leather, glued to a piece of plastic-coated MDF shelving scrap - about 12 inches long. I used the green compound, but could just as easily have used Flexcut Gold or White.

Claude

[Eddy-Smiles]

Paul... I think that it may depend on the type or finnish of the leather. Untill last month I swore that I'd never have to clean off a strop but I had one made of a really slick finnished leather that gummed all up and just didn't feel right. But after I cleaned a couple of layers off it works like a charm! What can I say?